Should I stop spritzing my butts?

[DougE]

My family heritage is from around Beaufort, or the low country as we call it, so I grew up with mustard base sauce...

Not from the area, but I prefer Carolina mustard based sauce over the others. May well be why people say my ribs are the best they ever had. They're used to the tomato based sauce on them.

 

[Stopsign32v]

South Carolina is a little bit different in that we have different sauce zones...
View attachment 706508
My wife is a vinegar/pepper fan, but her family heritage is from the upper coastal area. My family heritage is from around Beaufort, or the low country as we call it, so I grew up with mustard base sauce...

VINEGAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do also love me some mustard. But if I'm forced to have one it will always be vinegar based. Though I like it with some tomato to it and not just basically ACV and some pepper spices. That's just lazy in my eyes.

 

[civilsmoker]

Like many have said, it’s a tool and a like or dislike…..I’m a no spritz camper….but I do an apple cider vinegar based finishing sauce!

Oh the kinders gold bbq is a vinegar based off the shelf…..it’s the only off the shelf we use these days…..that is when the wife doesn’t make a Carolina Red & white…..vinegar based on both!

 

[millerbuilds]

I don't spritz butts/shoulders either. IMHO: Those cuts of pork have a ton of moisture and I have never had an issue building bark. As Chris said, it just adds to the cooking time with no measurable results to the meat.

- Jason

 

[chef k-dude]

Ok so what SBR do you guys suggest for a base? I'm interested

I take the original and cut it with some ACV and Texas Pete.

I eyeball it and taste and adjust as I heat it to meld the flavors. I dont use it much anymore because of the sugar but will grab it in a pinch or if I'm taking some PP to a potluck or something because thats what most people want. I dont like sickeningly sweet sauces on anything. I make a sweeter version BBQ sauce using artificial sweetener, but I dont put that out for a group or crowd because some people have gut reactions to some artificial sweeteners, I only use that at the house with people I know have eaten it before without negative consequences.

VINEGAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do also love me some mustard. But if I'm forced to have one it will always be vinegar based. Though I like it with some tomato to it and not just basically ACV and some pepper spices. That's just lazy in my eyes.

Interesting. You area bit of an enigma asking some very basic questions, yet have strong opinions such as this.

Why dont you show us your recipe for a vinegar based sauce? Here's mine. Clearly not just three ingredients. I dont mind sharing, its how we all get better:

Ken’s C’Ville Sauce for pulled pork

1 ½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup no sugar ketchup
½ cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar or substitute (I’ve used the monk fruit golden, or Sukrin and ½ tsp molasses)
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon Texas Pete hot sauce
*Louisiana or Crystal or generic sauce would also work. I would NOT use Franks or Tabasco in this. I keep both of those but they are for different foods in my kitchen, not “Q”.
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder (I have granulated garlic these days, I like that better)
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (sub 1/8 tsp cayenne for heat without bits for a squirt bottle or syringe for injecting)

Put all ingredients in a mixing dish (I use a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup) EXCEPT vinegar, ketchup and water.

Add a little water and whisk (I prefer a small wire whisk) until all the dry ingredients are well blended.

Add the rest of the water, ketchup and vinegar and whisk until blended. Microwaving about 2 minutes till hot to get everything blended.

Mix some sauce with pulled pork for an enhanced flavor just as a base and add extra at serving if desired.

 

[sandyut]

no spritz, no wrap, just rub it, smoke it at 275, rest it, pull it, add finishing sauce and eat.

 

[texomakid]

I don't spritz much, hardly ever but I did recently on the pork ribs and I just used water and I was happy with the results. Some great comments on spritzing as well. Nice thread.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I think Hasty Bake spritzes their butts, or more like they hose them down

 

[tallbm]

I've always spritzed them with apple juice every 30 minutes and someone here suggested apple juice and apple cider vinegar 50/50.

No complaints but I'm wondering if I should not spritz it at all? What is the benefits either way?

I'm also a "no spritzer", and definitely not on a pork butt.
I could see towards the end of a smoke on something that dries out that it may be needed, based on the type of smoker you run. For me running an MES, I never spritz and on meats that want to dry up later I just let them run unwrapped until deep into the smoke and then, before those meats really start drying up, I wrap with foil and an ounce or 2 of water to let them finish out. This is for stuff like brisket flats and chucks.
I would do the same for my beef ribs but I created a trick where I pull off the beef rib membrane, cut it in half and then pin it to the meat sides of the ribs to where it protects those sides from burning up and retains moisture. Works well in my MES so no need for me to wrap or spritz my beef ribs, though I would if they needed it.

For a pork butt... I see no benefit since it should not burn up on you. If youre lookin, your not cooking, and why add more time to something that doesn't benefit from the extra moisture. I hope this info helps :D